Device for holding shank buttons



Oct. 17, 1944. J. BRussELL DEVICE FOR HOLDING SHANK BUTTONS Filed sept. 20, 1940 Patented Oct. 17, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE 2,360,471 DEVICE FOR HGLDING SHANK BUTTONS Jacob Brussell, New York, N. Y. Application September 20, 1940,v Serial No. 357,559 6 Claims. (o1. 11a- 114) The present invention is directed to devices for holding buttons, more particularly to holders which are adapted for the proper positioning of the shank type of button to be sewn onto fabrics by sewing machines. This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 307,949, i-lled December 7, 1939, and entitled Button holders.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a button holder which is simple in construction, which may be readily adjusted for various types of buttons, and which is particularly constituted for use with shank buttons.

It is also among the objects of the present invention to provide a combination of button holder and fabric holder` in cooperative relation such that both of said elements may be readily adjusted for different types of fabrics and different sizes and shapes of buttons. Y

In the accompanying drawing, constituting a part hereof, and in which like reference characters indicate like parts,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View of a combination of button holder and fabric holder, shown in their proper cooperative relationship for sewing the button onto the fabric;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the button holding element of the combination;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2, but showing the opposite side of the butto-n holder;and

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the fabric holding element.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the device consists of a base I, having a threaded member 2 extending therefrom and adapted to be secured to a stationary portion of a sewing machine, or, if desired, to a movable part thereof. The upper end 3 of the base I is provided with an opening 4 in which a set screw 5 is adapted to seat. Said screw passes through a slot 6 in member 1, the latter having a iiange 8 which, by means of set screws 9, is attached to the shank I of a horizontal button holding member I I. Said member has its lower face dished to provide a seat for a button and a notch I2 is formed therein at the lower edge. To the lower end of base I is pivoted at I3 a button holding member I4 similar to member II. Member I4 has its upper face dished to provide a seat for a button complementary to member II, has a notch I at the upper edge thereof, and members II and I4 are in vertical alinement and in horizontal positions. A shank button may be held between members I I and I4 along the rim or edge of the button between dished portions I 2 and I5', with the shank I tical adjustable positions.

or eye thereof extending laterally therefrom,

lpreferably extending to the left, the shank being one end of which is secured by screw I1 to an intermediate portion of base I. The other end of spring I6 is secured at I8 to member I4, the tension of the spring being such that it tends to raise. the member I4 into a horizontal position. Usually, a stop member is provided in order to prevent member I4 from being raised too far.

To the bed 2B of the sewing machine is attached an upright member 2| having longitudinal slots22 therein and set screws 23 passing through saidslots to hold the upright member 2I in ver- Integral with upright 2lv is a pair of horizontal spaced apart arms 24 and resting thereon is a member 25 having slots 26 therein and held in horizontally adjustable relation with arms 24 by set screws 21. Depending portion 29 of member 25 has secured thereto by a set screw, a, flat spring 28 which is located in the space betweenI arms 24. At the free end of said spring there is a turned up portion 30 and a reentrant portion 3I with a terminal upwardly flared end 32. At the fold or bend 30 there is a cut-out portion 33 (see Fig. 4) whereby fabric 34 placed within the folds of spring 28 may be accessible to the needle of the sewing machine in order to sew a button onto the fold of the fabric.

In operation, depending upon the size of the button, members II and I4 are adjusted by loosening set screw 5 and suitably moving member Il to the proper. position to firmly hold a button in place. Similarly, the position of opening 33 in spring 28 is adjusted by set screws 23 and 21 to the proper position just below the shank or eye of the button to be sewed. After the sewing operation is complete, the fabric 34 with the attached button is slipped out of the fold 30 of the spring. The device is now ready for the next operation of sewing a button onto the same or a different piece of fabric.

Although I have described my invention in accordance with a single embodiment thereof it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that Various changes in the details of construction may be made within the spirit of the invention. For instance, instead of having member I 4 pivoted and held by a spring, the upper member I I may be made movable and the lower member be xed. The shape of members II and I-'I may be varied, although it has been found highly desirable to have the upper member provided with a dished portion, and the lower member corresponding thereto. Various parts of the device may be consolidated to form a lesser number of parts and the shape, form and size thereof may be varied at will. These and other changes will be obvious to those skilled in the art, and the invention is not to be limited except by the character of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

l. In a combined abric supporting and button supporting means adapted to be attached to a sewing machine, a base adapted to be attached to said machine, a horizontally disposed button holder attached thereto, a second button holder in cooperative relation therewith to hold a shank button between the same in such a position that the shank of said button extends laterally, said second holder being mounted on said base for vertical adjustment relative to said first holder, a fabric clamp comprising a horizontally folded sheet, an opening at said fold, said fold being adjacent to said holders in a position in substantially vertical alinement with said shank, said clamp being laterally spaced from the vertical plane of said holders and said fold being intermediate, the horizontal planes passing through said holders.

2. In a combined fabric supporting and button supporting means adapted to be attached to a sewing machine, a base adapted to be attached to said machine, a horizontally disposed button holder attached thereto, a second button holder in cooperative relation therewith to hold a shank button between the same in such a position that the shank of said button extends laterally, said second holder being mounted on said base for vertical adjustment relative to said first holder, a fabric clamp comprising a horizontally folded sheet mounted on a base for vertical and horizontal adjustment, an opening at said fold, said fold being adjacent to said holders in a position in substantially vertical alinement with said shank, said clamp being laterally spaced from the vertical plane of said holders and said fold being intermediate, the horizontal planes passing through said holders.

3. In a combined fabric supporting and'button supporting means adapted to be attached to a sewing machine, a base adapted to be attached to said machine, a horizontally disposed button holder attached thereto, a second button holder in cooperative relation therewith to hold a shank button between the same in such a position that the shank of said button extends laterally, said second holder being mounted on said base for vertical adjustment relative to said rst holder, a fabric clamp comprising a horizontally folded sheet of spring metal, an opening at said fold, said fold being adjacent to said holders in a position in substantially vertical alinement with said shank, said clamp being laterally spaced from the vertical plane of said holders and said fold being intermediate, the horizontal planes passing through said holders.

4. A button holding device adapted to be attached to a sewing machine which comprises a base adapted to be attached to said machine, a button holder in substantially horizontal position pivoted to the lower end of said base, spring means for biasing said holder upwardly, a second buttonholder above said rst namedbutton holder and in cooperative relation therewith to hold a. shank button therebetween, the body of said button being held in a vertical plane in proximity to the vertical plane of said base, said second holder being also mounted on said base, means on said base for adjusting said second holder vertically, and means for clamping said second holder in adjusted position.

5. A button holding device adapted to be attached to a sewing machine which comprises a base adapted to be attached to said machine, a button holder in substantially horizontal position pivoted to the lower end of said base, spring means for biasing said holder upwardly, a second button holder above said iirst named button holder and in cooperative relation therewith to hold a shank button therebetween, the body of said button being held in a vertical plane in proximity to the vertical plane of said base, said second holder being also mounted on said base, a slotted member and screw operable therein secured to said base and second holder to allow vertical adjustment of said second holder and for clamping said second holder in adjusted position.

6. In a combined fabric and button supporting means adapted to be attached to a sewingmachine, the improvement which comprises a fabric clamp formed of a sheet of spring material folded horizontally upon itself to provide a `space .for fabric within the fold, a base, said sheet being secured thereto, an opening in said sheet at said fold to expose fabric to allow the same to be stitched to a button, and a button clamp adjacent to said opening.

JACOB BRUSSELL. 

